Reminiscent of a celluloid film strip, the new Ringling Signature Arts Building is designed to appear as though it is coiling up from the ground.
The building’s prominent sitting within the academic landscape invokes curiosity while remaining positioned to advance the college’s current and emerging technology-driven programs. The future four-story building will house the school’s Computer Animation, Entertainment Design, Game Art, and Virtual Reality Development creative disciplines.
State-of-the-art facilities will include studios, instructional laboratories, academic support spaces, and offices – all organized around the building’s perimeter – with larger event and common spaces centrally dispersed throughout all floors. The facility is designed to be constructed using cast-in-place concrete throughout the structural form. Alternating metal perforations and voids of glass add to the drama, animating the building’s exterior. Designed to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver, all labs will have controlled lighting features that provide daylight while reducing computer screen glare.
Upon entering the new facility, prospective students will be greeted by Ringling College’s welcome center comprising a gathering and presentation space in addition to several private portfolio review rooms. The premier art space on campus, Basch Gallery, will be immediately adjacent to the welcome center and is situated to be seen by passing pedestrians.
A monumental staircase near the main entrance will crescendo up to the second floor, filtering people inside a large egg-shaped event center. Both the third and fourth floor will predominantly house the rest of the Computer Animation and Virtual Reality department’s laboratory and faculty offices. The fourth floor will also feature an outdoor courtyard for academic filming purposes while a separate terrace for leisure nearby overlooks the bay and city of Sarasota.